- The Observer, Sunday February 12 2006
RED LIPS
M.A.C. Ruby Woo, £11, major stores
Very Dita Von Teese, a matte finish in true red for maximum impact. Utterly divine, just wish the packaging was as exquisite as the colour. Four stars
Rimmel Diva Red, £4.99, major stores
True red enclosed within misleadingly shabby packaging, satin finish, very good. Three stars
Du Wop Shades of Venom in Belladonna, £14.50, Space NK, 020 8740 2085
Dark, sheer red, easy to use. Doesn't shout: 'Crazy red lipstick girl just arrived!' when you enter the room. Good for beginners. Three stars
Chanel Rouge Hydrabase in Fire, £14, major stores
Satin finish, slightly greasy, but very wearable. Damn good shade of red. Three stars
LIP BALMS
Nivea SOS balm, 10 ml, £3.19, 0800 616 977
At last! A balm that feels like it's moisturising rather than just lying on top of chapped skin. Seriously improves condition of lips. Four stars
Smith's Rosebud Lip salve, 0.8 oz, £6.95
Nostalgic packaging, glides on without being heavy, protects, faint rose scent. Does not sink in well, though. Three stars
Vaseline Lip Therapy with Aloe Vera, 20g, 99p, widely available
Big improvement on the original with pleasant lemon smell. Tends to sit on surface of lips rather than moisturise them, however. Two stars
Carmex Lip balm, 7.5g, £2.25,
Feels great at first, but dries lips out on further applications, which is hardly the point. Indeed, it's lip balm irony if you think about it. One star
POWER LIP BALMS
Freeze 24-7 Plump Lips, £25 from Space NK, 020 8740 2085
Chills the lips, a visible increase in volume, not too thick. Love the shade Arctic Glaze, a honey-nude with a golden shimmer. Five stars
Agent Provocateur Titillation, £20, 020 7620 2333
Really liked this. Gentle tingling plumps up the lips slightly, leaving a subtle rose-coloured stain. Comes with a matching nipple cream. How modern. Four stars
Benefit Lip plump, £13.50, 0901 113 0001
This works as a primer - it goes on under your lipstick (which is just as well - it's a nasty pinky beige). Enlarges lips , without gloopiness. Two stars
Too Faced Lip Injection Kit, £16, Boots, 0845 070 8090
This hurt on first application; then my hair stuck in it; then in turn it stuck to my face leaving an unpleasant red welt that hung around for hours. One star
BLACK EYELINERS
Giorgio Armani Smooth Silk Eye Pencil, £13.50, Harvey Nichols, 020 7201 8687
Lovely intense black, really easy to apply, lasts all night, with a sponge at the end for smudging. Five stars
Urban Decay Smoke Out Eye Pencil, £11, Boots, 0845 070 8090
Versatile, because the sponge at the end means you can smudge your line to get a smoky eye effect, or use the pencil for a hard line. Four stars
Rimmel Exaggerate, £4.99, major stores
Hard to apply, but with a bit of practice it gives an excellent defined line, à la Cleopatra. Two stars
Lancome Artliner, £18.50, major stores
Very hard to apply, and the colour quickly runs out on the tip, so you have to keep re-dipping. Hurts the eye lid. Disappointing. One star
SEDUCTIVE SCENTS (tested on men at parties)
Mauboussin Histoire d'Eau Amethyste, 1.35oz, $44.95 ,
Naughty play on words, (The Story of O, you see?) Women love it more than men. Hard to find. Four stars
Robert Piquet Fracas, 50ml, £49.50, Harvey Nichols, 020 7235 5000
Men get really excited by this one - sadly, I found it too heavy and cloying. Four stars
Estée Lauder Youth Dew Amber Nude, 75ml, £58, major stores
Tom Ford's redesign of the classic Estée Lauder scent was deemed 'sexy' at first, but 'too room spray' as the evening wore on. Two stars
J-Lo Live, 30ml, £21, major stores
Pretty bottle. Comments ranged from: 'Yeah, that's really nice,' to: 'I need to be drunk before I can tell you,' to: 'J-Lo? J- no!' But not bad at all. Two stars
SEDUCTIVE SCENTS (tested by male guinea pigs on women at parties)
Chanel Allure Homme Sport, 50ml, £31, major stores
'Ooooh, good! Subtle and citrusy, but not overpowering. I could smell this all day.' Five stars
Tommy Hilfiger Tommy, 50ml, £25, major stores
Various women say: 'Really sexy. Slightly floral, but not in a bad way. Like a man in a suit with his collar unbuttoned.' Four stars
Hugo Boss Hugo Energise, 75ml £30, major stores
'Tangy, sharp and not at all subtle. I imagine a junior broker wearing this. It's a little run of the mill.' Two stars
Aramis Eau De Toilette , 60ml, £18.99, major stores
'It's horrendous. For the type of guy who's got a shaving brush. It smells like a curry house, far too potent. Makes my head ache.' No stars
